P17-B earmarked in 2025 for soldiers' subsistence allowance -solon
Philippine News Agency
By Filane Mikee Cervantes
December 18, 2024, 8:35 pm
MANILA -- Congress has approved an allocation amounting to PHP17 billion in the proposed 2025 national budget to fund the PHP10,500 monthly subsistence allowance for soldiers, a lawmaker said on Wednesday.
In a statement, House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan said the higher allowance for military troops aims to enhance the well-being of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) over 165,000 personnel.
"Both the House and the Senate, largely through the efforts of Speaker Martin Romualdez, have agreed to provide a 133-percent increase in the daily subsistence allowance for our soldiers -from PHP150 to PHP350- to further improve their welfare. The allowance is now equal to PHP10,500 monthly," Libanan said.
"We are aggressively investing in the well-being of our soldiers, who are at the core of our national defense, even as we spend an average of PHP30 billion every year to upgrade the military's hardware and systems under the revised AFP modernization program."
Libanan said the subsistence allowance, designated primarily for food and meal expenses, is part of a broader package of financial support for military personnel.
Additional compensation includes allowances for clothing, laundry, quarters, and economic relief, as well as bonuses and incentives such as longevity pay, mid-year and year-end bonuses, and performance-based rewards.
Certain groups of soldiers receive additional compensation, such as hazardous/hazard duty pay, hardship allowances, and combat duty pay, among other rewards. (PNA)
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